Black Friday backlash: Customers, employees petition Target

Target announced it will open on Thanksgiving Day, and now employees and customers are speaking out.

The popular retail giant plans to open its stores at 9 p.m. on the night of Thanksgiving, three hours earlier than last year's midnight opening for Black Friday.

The earlier start time is likely a move to compete with other major retailers. Walmart, Toys-R-Us, K-Mart and Sears will all open at 8 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day.

When Casey St. Clair, a Target employee in California, started her online petition she never dreamed it would gather over 200,000 signatures in just a few days.

St. Clair tapped into a growing sense of outrage that several retailers will open Thanksgiving night.

"I'm sure next year it may be open as early at 4 p.m. because retailers want to be able to say, 'We open first,'" said Britt Beemer.

A nationally known consumer behavior expert and Orlando resident, Beemer said retailers claim that they're just giving shoppers what they want is not entirely true.

"They didn't demand it but they're not going to miss the opportunity to get the deal," said Beemer.

Beemer said it's the retailers who drive consumer behavior and if all the stores held off on opening until the day after Thanksgiving, shoppers would probably be OK with it and even appreciate it, but it's the almighty dollar that rules and as long as a deal is being offered there will be willing customers.

"We already have plans to go Thanksgiving night. We already have mapped out stores that have less crowds to go to based on location," said Christina Koch.

Customers and employees alike are upset by the move, saying the sales will cut into the holiday.

A Target spokesman told NBC News in a statement that the opening time was carefully evaluated with customers and staff in mind. He also said the employees will receive time-and-a-half pay for working the holiday.

Related: Holiday photos on u local

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